Family Tree: John McPherson Leask II, “Mac”

I am John M. Leask II, known as Mac-born 10/21/42 in Bridgeport, CT. I am the father of John M. Leask, III known as Jay-born 7/25/80 in Norwalk, CT; he is married to Antares Elizabeth Russell. Jay’s mother is Phoebe Kamelakis Leask-born 10/24/43 in Schenectady, New York. Phoebe, of Greek extraction, married me on August 19, 1979. She has three children by her first marriage. Though I have not adopted them, they are every bit as much my children in spirit as is Jay. These children are Peter Rizos, Andrew Rizos and Joanna Rizos Bogardus. John Rizos is their natural father. Joanna, who is married to David Bogardus has three children: Christopher James, Rose and Aaron David. Andrew, who is married to Jennifer Gibson has one child: Athena Kriti. Peter is married to Deirdre Director.

I have three Brothers and a sister. They are Walter MacGregor Leask-born in Michigan on 12/14/44, Charles Burgess Leask-born in Bridgeport, Ct-born on 5/17/47, Ann Burgess Leask Knope-born in Bridgeport, CT on 12/12/50 and William Manchester Leask-born in Bridgeport, CT on 7/30/52 in Bridgeport, CT.

Charles Burgess Leask and his ex-wife Paulette Lashenka have a son James McPherson Leask. Charles died October 10, 1999 in Bridgeport Hospital. Ann Burgess Leask Knope and her Husband William Joseph Knope, III (born 3/22/50) were married 1/16/71. Ann and William have a son Daniel Benjamin Knope born 3/11/74. Walter married Patricia Hermann Hiltz. Pat had a daughter by her first husband, Merideth Hiltz.

The father of John M. Leask, II was Haldane Burgess Leask-born 6/24/12 in Detroit, Michigan. Haldane’s wife was Laura Elizabeth Manchester Leask-born 9/14/14 in Michigan.

The father of Haldane Burgess Leask was John McPherson Leask, Sr.-born 11/4/1871 in Rumpa, Shetland. Rumpa was also known by the name of the beach on which it is located: Channerwick Beach. The wife of John M. Leask, Sr, was Ann Jane Burgess of Shetland, born 8/23/1874 in Shetland. She grew up in Lerwick. On May 11, 1893 John M. Leask, Sr., sailed from Scotland to New York on a boat called the Cutty Rome. The boat arrived in the US May 22, 1893. He then took a train to Ontario, Canada to visit his uncle George Leask in Ontario, Canada. He stayed until 1894, when he moved to Detroit, Michigan. Ann joined him and they were married on August 2, 1898. They had 8 Children in the US, all born in Detroit, Michigan, Catherine Leask born 1899, Anne Burgess Leask born 12/20/01, Elizabeth Marjorie Leask born 6/25/03, Elinor Sarah Leask born 5/13/05, Edna Lillian Leask born 1907, Helen Jean Leask born 11/26/09, John McPherson Leask, Jr., born 11/26/09 and Haldane Burgess Leask born 6/24/12. The oldest child of John M. Leask Sr., and Ann Burgess Leask was Catherine Leask who was born in 1899 and died in 1901 of diphtheria.

Ann Burgess Leask, the second child of John M. Leask, Sr., and Ann Burgess Leask, was born 12/20/1901. She Married Michael (Mike) Hutchinson in 1919. They lived in New York until they retired and moved to Florida. They had two children: John and Edna. John Hutchinson married Susan and they had one son Wesley. Edna married Loyd Merrit and they had four daughters. Mike died in 1970 soon after his 50th wedding anniversary. Anne Burgess Leask Hutchinson then married her widowed brother in law, Vernon Drake on June 26, 1983.

Elizabeth Marjorie Leask, the third child of John M. Leask, Sr., and Ann Burgess Leask, was born 6/25/1903. She married Tom Jones (born 7/12/1900) on 9/20/24. They had one child, Barbara. Elizabeth and Tom divorced each other. Tom died in the 1970’s. 12/9/61 Elizabeth married Oswald Rodman Love (born 11/17/92). Oswald died in 1980. Elizabeth and Tom’s daughter Barbara married Bob McGory and had two daughters.

Elinor Sarah Leask, the fourth child of John M. Leask, Sr., and Ann Burgess Leask, was born 5/13/05. She married William F.(Bill) Millar (born 3/9/04) They had one son, Robert (Bob) Millar. Bill died 4/15/75. Bill and Elinor’s son Bob married Betty (Sam) Pfingston. Bob and Betty had four children: Michael, Bonnie, Robin and Robert, Jr..

Edna Lillian Leask, the fifth child of John M. Leask, Sr., and Ann Burgess Leask, was born in 1907. Her lip became infected and she died in 1923.

John M. Leask, Jr., the seventh child of John M. Leask, Sr., and Ann Burgess Leask was born 11/26/1909. He married Margaret Harris. He was a very successful CPA in Fairfield, Connecticut. John M. Leask, Jr., and Margaret Harris had three Children: Margaret Ann (Peggy), David and Mary Lou.

Haldane Burgess Leask, the father of John M. Leask II, and Grandfather of John M. Leask III was born 6/24/1912. His family was presented earlier.

Helen Jean Leask, the sixth child of John M. Leask, Sr., and Ann Burgess Leask, was born 11/26/1909. She married Vernon Drake. They had two children: Vernon Jr. and Glenda. Helen died in November of 1982 of Parkinson’s disease. Vernon then married his sister in law Anne after Michel Hutchinson died.

The father of Ann Jane Burgess, wife of John M. Leask, Sr., was Charles Burgess. The first wife of Charles Burgess was Ann Margaret Aiken. Charles and Ann had three children: Ann Jane Burgess, Margaret Burgess and May Burgess. Ann Jane Burgess became the Wife of John M. Leask, Sr., Margaret Burgess married Thomas Williamson in the Shetland. Margaret Burgess and Thomas Williamson had five Children: Thomas, John, Charles, Bertha and Janet. Two of the sons Thomas and John moved to America. Bertha moved to New Zealand. Janet moved to Scotland or England. Charles stayed in the Shetland. May Burgess married William Grant in the Shetland. May Burgess and William Grant had four children. The first two were girls. Their third child was a girl named Peggy and the fourth was a boy named Charles. The second wife of Charles was Janice Williamson. Charles and Janice had two sons George and Charles. George-born in 1895, was a Gordon Highlander who died in a German prison camp in 1918. Charles died at 16 from a knee infection.

The Father of John M. Leask, Sr. was Laurence (#112213†) Leask born 12/27/1839 who died 2/9/1912†. (Laurence born in Sandwick in 1837?†) Laurence married Catherine (#112212†) McPherson born 12/21/1841 (1840a) in Brough, Dunrossness†. Laurence and Catherine McPherson Leask had 4 girls, 3 of whom never married. Laurence and Catherine also had 2 sons. Their children were Helen (Ellen) Leask born 10/23/1865, Elizabeth (Maggie) Colvin- born 8/6/1867 (mother of: Ina Covin born 1907 and Maggie Covin born 1904.), Laurence Leask-born in 1869 who married Isabella Ingram in 1897, and my grandfather John M. Leask, Sr., Katherine (Kate) Leask born 3/8/1881 and Mary Jane Leask born 2/13/1885. Helen, Katherine and Mary Jane never married. Elizabeth (Maggie) Covin’s husband Gavin Covin died at sea in about 1916. Her daughter, known to us as Maggie Jamison kept contact with the family here in the US. Laurence and Isabella lived in Lieth. They had one daughter, Isabella known as Bella.

Laurence (#112213†) Leask-born 1837-Sandwick†, the father of John M. Leask, Sr., had 3 siblings: a brother: James (#73685†) Leask-born 1835†; a sister Margaret (#112220†) Leask-born 1839 in Sandwick†, and another brother George (#112222†) Leask-born 1850 in Sandwick†. The three brothers George, James and Laurence married three Sisters, the daughters of John (#112206†) McPherson. George married Elizabeth McPherson, James married Sarah (#73686†) McPherson, and Laurence married Catherine McPherson-born December 11, 1840 born Brough, Dunrossness.. The brother of John M. Leask, Sr-George Leask and his wife Elizabeth took care of two nieces named Goudie. They lived in Detroit Michigan near John M. Leask, Sr. Margaret Leask married Thomas Flause who died in Death Valley (US) in 1909. They had one son who lived in California. James (#73685†) Leask and Sarah (#73686†) McPherson had five children according to my mother’s records: George (#73687†) Leask-born12/19/1865†, Elizabeth (#45657†) Leask-born 2/29/1870†, John Leask, James (#73688†) and Sarah (#27326†) Leask. Elizabeth (#45657†) Leask married George (#67116†) Smith, a wool merchant. In the records of the Shetland Family Historical Society James Leask had only four Children. John Leask is not recorded as a child of James (#73865†) Leask and Sarah (#73686†) McPherson in these records. Sarah (#73686†) McPherson was the daughter of John McPherson and Hellen Goudie†.

Laurence (#112213†) Leask’s father, grandfather of John M. Leask, Sr., was George Leask (#112219†) born 1810 in Ireland, Bigton†. George died 2/25/1880 in Sandwick†. George’s first wife was Elizabeth Johnson Mouat (#89421†) born October 13, 1813†. Elizabeth was mother of George’s children James (#73685†) Leask-born 1835, Laurence (#112213†) Leask and Margaret (#112220†) Leask. Elizabeth died in childbirth (before 1850†) when Laurence was still young. Elizabeth’s father was Laurence Mouat (#28488) and her mother was Elizabeth Colvin (#89416)†. The Mouat family ceased having anything to do with Lawrence or his brother and sister after Elizabeth Johnson Mouat’s death. Lawrence’s father then married Agnes Sutherland (about 1849†). Agnes and George had a son George Leask-born 1850† who was a sailor who died in Detroit in 1916. Laurence’s father George died July 25, 1880, his death was recorded in Sandwick; According to oral family history Laurence Mouat was the ‘Lord of Cullister.’†

Laurence Mouat was reputed in family history to be the Laird or Lord of Cullistar. He was a significant land owner but no evidence has been found he was a Lord or Laird.

John (#112206†) McPherson, father-in-law of Laurence (#112213†) Leask, father of Laurences wife Catherine (#112212†) McPherson married Helen (#112207†) Goudie. His second wife was Christine Jamieson. John McPherson had two sons: John and James. John McPherson’s son John moved the US and then settled in Vancouver Canada. He was married but had no children. John McPherson’s son James went to California. James’ son John died while working on the Golden Gate Bridge. James’ son James was a successful dentist who lived in San Francisco. Catherine’s mother was Helen (#112207) Goudie†.

George Leask (#112219), grandfather of John M. Leask, Sr., father or Laurence Leask (#1122213), had four siblings. His oldest brother was William Leask (#121129)-born October 6, 1794 in Ireland, Bigton, Dunrossness. His sister Agnes Leask (#121130) was born about 1801. His brother James Leask (#71612) was born in 1809. His brother Thomas Leask (#121131) was born January 11, 1813 in Ireland, Bigton, Dunrosssness. George’s father was James Leask (#121127) born in Sandwick in 1767. George’s mother was Martha Aitken (#121128) born before 1774. James Leask and Martha Aitken were married in February of 1794. George (#121219) was born 1810 in Ireland, Bigton, Shetland. He died 7/25/1880 Sandwick, Shetland.†

James Leask (#121127), great grandfather of John M. Leask, Sr., had five siblings. His oldest sibling was Margaret Leask (#74543). James Leask (#121127) was born second, in 1767 in Sandwick. Next born was Thomas Leask (#121132) born 1769, Sandwick. A forth sibling (? Leask) was born in Sandwick 1774. A fifth sibling, Katherine Leask (#121134) was born in Sandwick 1777. His sixth sibling was David Leask (#121135) born in Sandwick 1781. James (#121127) Leask’s father was John (#121125) Leask, born in 1741. James (#121127) Leask’s mother was Marjory (#121126) Black, born before 1743. John (#121125) Leask and Marjory (#121126) Black were married June 4, 1762. John (#121135) was great-great grandfather of John M. Leask, Sr.†

Christian – thank you for commenting on the site, we’re excited to see a Leask interested in the family trees! I am going to put you in touch with our resident historian (my dad) via email so you two can talk more directly. If you have any content you would like to have added to the site please don’t hesitate to suggest it – I look forward to getting your family’s tree up here as well!

Spellings of Leask

Chances are, if you are on this site your family name is not Leask; however, there are many known and documented spellings of the name Leask including Laesk, Laisk, Lask, Laysk, Laysak, Leisk, Lesh, Lesk, Leysk, Liesk, Lisk, and Lusk.

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